Top Shelf Tuesday - Stanley Kubrick and Eddie Vedder

by spikeMay 29, 2011 at 3:00PM
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Tuesday's almost here, and you know what that means. It's time to hit the stores (or Amazon.com) and pick up some new releases. With our handy Top Shelf Tuesday guide, you'll know exactly what's getting folks excited this week.

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Movies

When it comes to legends of cinema, it doesn't really get much more impressive than Stanley Kubrick, which is why you'll want to hit up your favorite DVD retailer for Warner Home Video's Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Collection. Comprised of 10 DVDs, the set features some of the most critically acclaimed films of the past 50 years, including Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. When it comes to both technical precision and groundbreaking storytelling, there is arguably none who did it better than Kubrick, so this is pretty much a no-brainer for any self-respecting cinephile. [Amazon]

Music

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Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder scales things back with Ukulele Songs, his sophomore solo effort for Universal. The simplicity of the album’s title is a nod to both the concept and the content contained within. As you might be able to guess, this is an album centered around Vedder’s trademark vocals with accompaniment by a ukulele the singer picked up while visiting Hawaii some 15 years ago. While the buzz on the album is mixed, it’s worth nothing that Vedder isn’t taking the easy road here. You will either love this record or hate it, but either way it’s worth a listen. At the very least, it’s interesting to see the simplicity of the instrument being used for its original intent and not as something to prop up a Tiny Tim novelty tune. If you’d like to give it a spin, head over to NPR.org to stream the album in its entirety. [NPR]

Death Cab for Cutie returns to the forefront of indie rock with Codes and Keys, their seventh full-length effort and first in three years. Produced by Chris Walla, the LP is reportedly "a much less guitar-centric album than we’ve ever made before" according to Ben Gibbard. Check out a track from the release over at TwentyFourBit.com, as well as a solo cut from Gibbard and, straight out of left field, an old Buck Owens tune. Pretty cool stuff. [TwentyFourBit]